Water Dawgs fall to Wolverines, Lancers

By Joe Naiman

Ramona High School’s girls water polo team closed out 2012 with losses Dec. 12 at Westview and Dec. 14 at Carlsbad.

The 7-5 loss at Westview and the 12-3 defeat against Carlsbad gave the Bulldogs a 4-4 record entering 2013.

Westview scored both first-period goals, but the teams scored an equal number of times in each of the remaining three quarters.

“We played solid,” said coach Donnie Williams.

The score was 4-2 at halftime and 6-4 after three quarters.

“We actually had more offensive opportunities than they did,” Williams said. “The shots that they did have, they were going in.”

Ramona goalie Tiffany Larson made four saves against the Wolverines and also had two steals. Larson also blocked one of two five-meter penalty shots, both in the third period.

Holly Fletcher scored two of Ramona’s goals from the two-meter area.

“That’s something we were working for, trying to get more scores out of the two-meter instead of just out of the perimeter,” Williams said.

Last year Westview and Ramona were both in Division II for CIF playoff purposes, but this year the Wolverines are in Division I.

“It’s not going to hurt us,” Williams said of playoff seeding considerations.

The 2011-12 CIF Division I champion was Carlsbad.

“Our girls aren’t ready to match up with that,” Williams said. “We knew it was going to be tough going up there.”

Carlsbad led 3-0 at the end of the first quarter, and two of those goals were in the final 40 seconds.

The Lancers had an 8-2 halftime lead, but the score was 9-3 after the third quarter.

“They got themselves refocused and played great the rest of the game,” Williams said of his team. “We matched up well.”

The fourth quarter saw Williams give his reserves playing time.

“The girls learned a lot,” he said.

Ramona’s next match will be at home on Jan.3 against Torrey Pines.